Monday, September 30, 2013

Just because the new UK TV satellite, Astra 2E, was successfully launched last night, there will NOT be any changes for for several weeks yet - despite some IPTV / Internet TV providers saying "changes are imminent could be as soon as two weeks from today".

This is because the satellite has to be tested first, and this is done at another location (43 east).

Once that has been completed it will take several days to move from 43 east to the UK TV slot at 28 east.

This is assuming it follows the same process as the first new Astra 2 satellite, Astra 2F, which was also launched late September 2012, and operational with UK TV channels from December 2012.

This will be known, as it is possible to track the satellite on various websites.

Again some IPTV / Internet TV providers say "You will not get any advance warning of when the actual switch over to the new satellite will take place" - but the movement of the satellite to its correct geostationary UK TV slot is surely some indication!

Only then will channels start to move from the temporary Astra 1N to Astra 2E.

And only then will we get any meaningful data as to Astra 2Es reception in Spain, with its signal overspill into mainland Europe and Spain and Portugal, again despite some IPTV / Internet TV providers saying BBC ITV C4 and Fives "will no longer be available to the majority of Europe including Spain and Portugal."

Mission Profile: The Proton M launch vehicle, utilizing a 5-burn Breeze M mission design, will lift off from Pad 39 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, with the ASTRA 2E satellite on board. The first three stages of the Proton will use a standard ascent profile to place the orbital unit (Breeze M Upper Stage and the ASTRA 2E satellite) into a sub-orbital trajectory. From this point in the mission, the Breeze M will perform planned mission manoeuvres to advance the orbital unit first to a circular parking orbit, then to an intermediate orbit, followed by a transfer orbit, and finally to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. Separation of the ASTRA 2E satellite is scheduled to occur approximately 9 hours, 12 minutes after liftoff.

Due to some satellite changes, some UK channels will be moving to a temporary transponder / frequency from September 30.

They will them move again on October 4 to the final destination transponder / frequency and satellite.

For RT-UK SD (Russia Today UK) , this means:
Sky users, and Freesat box users should see the changes handled automatically by set-top boxes, with no viewer action required.
However, people with generic Free-to-Air satellite receivers will have to do a rescan at each transponder change.

One such incorrect rumour that has been doing the rounds, and even spread on a Expat Radio Stations here in Spain, is that:

"All BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Ch5 TV channels etc. will disappear from the SKY platform at end of October beginning November. None of these channels will physically reach Europe mainland via Satellite."

No.
This is incorrect.
a) BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Ch5 TV channels etc will not disappear from Sky - or Freesat.
These UKTV channels will still be on those Digital Satellite systems.
Why would these channels be removed from the most popular Digital TV services ?

No.
This is incorrect.
They will reach Europe mainland via Satellite.
The beams may be more focused on the UK, but there will be satellite signal overspill into other areas, just like there has been signal overspill into Europe for the last 20 plus years

In fact, in some areas of Spain you can and should still be able to receive these UK TV channels (BBC1HD, ITV1HD, C4HD, Channel Five) on a 1m satellite dish from the first new satellite, Astra 2F, that has been operating since December 2012.

The map shows SES Astra's prediction of their new satellites UK beam for users with a 45cm satellite dish and 60cm satellite dish. As you can see the Astra 2E satellites UK beam should be available to more than half of France if you are using a 60cm satellite dish.

However, some IPTV / Internet TV sellers are using this as a basis for their misrepresentations, by saying anyone outside that "60cm satellite dish" contour will not be able to receive ANY signals at all.

This is incorrect.

Just because the map does not show data outside that 60cm contour, does not mean that n signals will be available in those areas.

In fact, this is the same map showing the same data for the first new satellites, Astra 2F.

And like I said before, some areas of Spain can receive this signal on a 1m satellite dish - in areas where these IPTV / Internet TV sellers say it is impossible.

Yes, some areas will be affected more than other areas. Some may find that they can still use smaller 1m and 1.25m and 1.4m satellite dishes in Spain for reception of their UK TV .

Yes, some areas, like the Costa del Sol, may have to increase the size of their satellite dishes, and use 1.8m or 2.4m satellite dishes, just like the Costa Blanca has had to use for the last 10plus years.

Until the new Astra 2E satellite has been launched, expected around the 30th September 2013 ( http://www.satandpcguy.com/Site/astra_2e_satellite_reception_testing_news_updates.php ) , tested (which will take place at another location in the skies), positioned at 28 east along with the other UK TG satellites, and is transmitting signals from that location, no-one will know for sure what reception will be like in Spain, and Europe, or what sized satellite dishes you will need to receive these signals in Spain and Europe.

Subscribers who want to continue receiving the channels that have been removed from Eutelsat HotBird 13e will have to realign your satellite dish to either Nilesat (7 ° West) or Badr (26 degrees East).

Al Jazeera Sports have the live broadcasting rights to may football league and competitions, including the FA Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and FA Cup

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Astra 2E News Update: 10/09/13 : Reports from Ukraine are saying that the launch of Astra 2E on the 16th / 17th September has again been delayed. "A technical problem was found during the final inspection of the rocket Proton carrying the satellite Astra 2E on the cosmodrome Baikonur, a source in the cosmodrome said. No new launch date has been mentioned.

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